The sandwich may be one of the simplest meals ever invented, but its history stretches back centuries. People have wrapped meat, cheese, and other fillings in bread for generations, though the modern sandwich is most closely associated with John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich, in 18th-century England. According to the familiar story, Montagu wanted a meal he could eat without leaving the gaming table, so meat was served between slices of bread.
Whether that story is completely accurate or not, the name stuck and the idea spread quickly. By the 19th century, sandwiches had become common in Britain and the United States, helped along by increasingly available sliced bread and changing work habits. They were portable, inexpensive, and endlessly adaptable, which made them equally useful for factory lunches, picnics, train travel, and home kitchens.
Today, National Sandwich Day on November 3 celebrates a food that can be almost anything a cook wants it to be. A sandwich can be hot or cold, simple or elaborate, built around roast beef, fried chicken, vegetables, cheese, or leftovers from the night before. Few meals offer the same combination of convenience, comfort, and creativity, which helps explain why sandwiches have remained part of everyday cooking for so long.